TERM OF PATAN HOSPITAL PROBE TEAM EXTENDED BY PM Kathmandu, 13 Dec.:: Prime Minister and Chancellor of Patan Institute of Health Sciences Dr Baburam Bhattarai has on Thursday extended the term of the probe committee formed to look into the problems facing the Institute since the appointment of Vice-chancellor Dr Sangita Bhandari, RSS reports. The committee had been given a week´s time on December 5 and has now been given an additional 15 days to be effective from today. The term of the committee has been extended in pursuance to the verdict of the Supreme Court that issued an interim order prior to the committee completed its task, said administrative officer at the Institute, Prakash Chandra Khadka. The apex court has asked the committee to stop its probe until December 19 nnnn KATHMANDU TEMPERATURE Kathmandu, 13 Dec.: Minimum temperature of the capital was 8 degrees Celsius Thursday. Mercury soared to 20 degrees Celsius in the day. nnnn 3 POSTAGE STAMPS ISSUED Kathmandu, 13 Dec.: The Department of Postal Services has brought into use three new postage stamps depicting the Asia Pacific Postal Union, the first Sagarmatha summit by a team of civil servants and the World AIDS Day, RSS reportd. Minister for Information and Communications Raj Kishore Yadav affixed the first cancellation mark on the stamps amidst a function held in the capital on Thursday. The stamp marking the 50th anniversary of Asia Pacific Postal Union is of 35 rupees denomination and that of World AIDS Day is of five rupees denomination. Both were designed by Purna Kala Bista. Likewise, the stamp depicting the first ascent to the world´s tallest mountain Sagarmatha by civil servants is designed by Mohan Rana and is of 10 rupee denomination. Speaking on the occasion, Communications Minister Yadav said the postage stamp carrying the image of the first summit to Mt Sagarmatha by civil servants of Nepal is of special importance, as it has been able to highlight the courageous character of Nepali civil servants. Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Durga Prasad Bhattarai, Joint-secretary at the Ministry of Communications Sushil Kumar Ojha, civil servant Khim Lal Gautam, who was part of the team that scaled Mt Sagarmatha and other speakers shed light on the importance of the postage stamps released today. nnnn